Thursday, June 21, 2012

In April of 1989, Italy’s AC Milan and Spain’s Real Madrid were paired in the semi finals of the 1989 edition of Champions Cup.

Milan backed by ambitious owner Silvio Berlusconi, were making their first entry in the Champions Cup in nearly a decade.

This team managed by Arrigo Sacchi, led by its Dutch trio of Ruud Gullit, Marco van Basten and Frank Rijkaard, was about to make its mark in Europe.

AC Milan was off the pace in the League to cross-town rivals Inter and had all their attention in winning the Champions Cup.

They had easily disposed of Bulgaria’s Vitoscha in the first round, but had endured two difficult matches with Yugoslavia’s Red Star Belgrade led by Dragan Stojkovic.

After two one-one ties, they defeated Red Star and penalty kick shoot-out. In the quarterfinals, West Germany’s Werder Bremen were also defeated by a van Basten penalty kick after a scoreless first leg.

Real Madrid with its prolific Mexican striker Hugo Sanchez and a host of Spanish internationals were playing in their third straight Champions Cup Semifinals and were well on their way to a fourth straight League title.

Real had defeated Norway’s Moss and Poland’s Gornik Zabrze in the first two rounds.

In the quarterfinals they had gained revenge over defending champions PSV Eindhoven of Holland, who had eliminated them in the previous season’s semifinals.

Photo From: L’Annee du Football 1989

(Manuel Sanchis and Ruud Gullit heading for the ball)

The Semifinals between these two historical teams promised to be memorable, though no one could have predicted just how one sided it would turn out.

The first leg on April 5th was played at Madrid’s Santiago Bernabeu stadium. Naturally given their past, most expected Real to completely dominate from the onset.

Real Manager, Dutchman Leo Beenhakker ruled against individual marking and in defense selected Miguel Tendillo in place of Esteban.

AC Milan played a zonal game with constant pressing.

However, AC Milan was clearly the better team.Real’s Michel and Schuster had no ideas against Milan’s game plan and were never in control.

It was estimated that Real lost the ball 48 times during this match.

Photo From: France Football, April 11, 1989, issue 2244

(Franco Baresi and Emilio Butragueno)

Despite falling behind just before halftime to a Sanchez goal, Milan was unfazed and looked more in control.

Sanchez scored from an acrobatic volley after a corner taken by Schuster and headed by Tendillo.

The Italians tied when van Basten scored off an incredible jumping header from the edge of the 18-yard box from a cross by Tassoti.

Gullit also scored a goal in the 64th minute, which was ruled out.

This was a significant result, because Real had not been dominated at home in this fashion in European play in recent memory.

In fact their results against Italian opposition was mostly positive. Most teams had arrived at Bernabeu expecting a massacre and defended en masse. However, this Milan was different and was taking the fight to the opposition even away from home.

Real’s Butragueno went as far as to say that he has never met such a strong team and it is obviously led by a great Manager. Some took this as a subtle insult to his manager.